October 19, 2007 at 6:55 am
We're planning to upgrade the two server boxes in our existing SQL 2005 SP2 failover cluster. The system databases and user databases are all on an attached SAN storage device. Our network admin, who runs the cluster administrator software, believes the existing configuration will be detected when new boxes with fresh sql 2005 installs are added. I'm skeptical it will be that simple. What we should do is create a test environment with a cluster arrangement and try it there, but that may not happen. One of the first potential problems that comes to mind is that a default install of sql will expect system databases on the local C drive, which isn't the case here.
Has anyone done such an upgrade? If so, what issues did you discover?
thx,
Randy
October 19, 2007 at 7:36 am
Well, I do know that the new setup will detect whats going on and how. But its unclear as to if you are going to add the new hardware to the existing cluster or swap out the hardware and push the data to the newer servers. Your cluster setup can support upto 8 machines unless you have enterprise edition and then you can support quite a few more. Also you are correct as well If you could have a test environment its always ideal but the reality is not many places have boxes just to do this type of testing, simply because if there are any differences then it wont apply to what you have in production EXCEPT that you have done something similar to this in test. There is A LOT to clusters and a minor mistakes can cause major problems. Here is a pretty good article that may help.. Good Luck 🙂 And make sure you have a back out plan...this is a must.
http://www.sql-server-performance.com/articles/clustering/clustering_best_practices_p1.aspx
DHeath
October 20, 2007 at 9:35 pm
i think you have to take that resource out side group for any changes. any thing on fly will break the cluster.
From Old SAN Drive to NEW SAN Drive take fresh DB backup & dettach after that. for System DB, you have to bring SQL Server in single user mode from command prompt & There is very good KB article at Microsoft website about relocating System DB. I hope if this may help.
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